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So, it’s 1987 or so, you’re a 26-year-old male; you’ve spent six months or so living in an apartment bedroom, a roomer, after breaking up with your girlfriend, whom you never should have gotten involved with in the first place.

When not alone in your room or working, you’ve spent your time, usually evenings, at the local bars drinking and listening to the jukebox

Then you’re forced by economic circumstances to move back into that ex-girlfriend’s apartment while she’s overseas.

While living on your own, those lonely days in your room, before this change in circumstance, you’ve spent your time listening to the Stray Cats, Carl Perkins, Sonny Burgess, and Hank Williams. You’ve been thinking, “man, if I could combine the pure honky tonk sound of Hank Williams with some rockabilly, that would be some music, man.”

In your first week of living back in this ex-girlfriend’s apartment, while she screws another guy overseas, you’re totally depressed about the change in circumstance but still longing for some rockin’ honky-tonk.

One night, with no cable, you’re flipping through TV channels, a video comes on from an out-of-town TV channel that you never get usually — suddenly, for no explainable reason, you’re watching this video, grainy and distorted, on a black-and-white TV screen. Wow.

I listen to a lot of bad new music so you don’t have to, always searching for great new songs. I keep a constantly rotating playlist of my iPhone of Top 50 New Songs. When I decide a song is worthy, I move it to my Best Downloads playlist. Tonight, I culled the 2017 entries on that list and picked out what are the best songs of 2017.

Rhiannon Giddens – At The Purchaser’s Option

Dead Pretties – Confidence

Ron Gallo – “Put The Kids To Bed”

Hurray For the Riff Raff: “Rican Beach”

Coal Miners, Andrew Joslyn

Priests – JJ

Greta Van Fleet – Highway Tune

Shilpa Ray “Morning Terrors Nights Of Dread”

*repeat repeat – “Girlfriend”

White Reaper – The World’s Best American Band

Father John Misty – Ballad of the Dying Man

The Orwells – Double Feature

I didn’t do a list in 2016 and the song below came out more than a year ago, but the Soft White Sixties dominated a lot of my listening time in 2017, so I wanted to share. Great band from San Francisco. They did release a new album at the end of 2017, but I’ve not absorbed it all yet.

The Soft White Sixties “Sorry to Say”

If I were going to go with a best new band of 2017, I’d pick the Dead Pretties. Only two songs out so far. I can’t wait to hear more from these new Brit punks.

School staff members get their heads shaved to open Pembroke's annual Shooting for a Cure fundraiser.

Among the highlights of Friday's installation dinner for the Darien Volunteer Fire Department was the recognition of William Brunea for his 60 years of dedicated service to the department. Joining Brunea was his wife of 65 years, Irene.

Arcade Winterfest 2015

Elba Performance of Cats

Pembroke vs. Byron Bergen Section V Basketball Playoff 2015

BHS Performance of Annie

Batavia v. College Prep Section V Basketball Semi-Final Playoff

UB Bulls vs. Bowling Green March 7 2015

Notre Dame vs. Genesee Valley Section V Class D1 Championship 2015

Notre Dame vs. Genesee Valley Section V Class D1 Championship 2015

Batavia Blue Devils vs. College of the Arts Section V Title Game 2015

It's a bit of a challenge, even for an experienced cook, admits Brian Canalie, to take over somebody else's menu and make it your own.
But just as he and his partners Shane Burger and his wife Melissa decided to keep the name Woody's Deli when they took over the corner market in Le Roy, there was too much good in the menu to just toss it out.

St. Patrick's Day at Center Street and O'Lacy's 2015

Muckdog's Hot Stove Dinner

Laurie Oltramari, Corey Wolcott, Don Burkel and Patricia Hawley.

Kiwanis Easter Egg Hunt

Lucine Kauffman

Raffaele Ponti

Local artist Larry Buckley gave an oil painting demo Tuesday evening at GO ART! for members of the Batavia of Society of Artists.

Third Annual Mr. Batavia Contest, Batavia HS, 2015

34th annual fashion show at Genesee Community College

34th annual fashion show at Genesee Community College

34th annual fashion show at Genesee Community College

34th annual fashion show at Genesee Community College

Sunrise in Batavia

As firefighters finished extinguishing a fire that started in a back room on the second floor of the home at 122 State St., Adrian's biggest worry was for the safety of his cat, Prince Charming.
So named because he was the lone kitten born to his mother. He's a special cat.
Adrian's mother, Carla Laird, stood at the threshold of their house and called. She had managed to get the family's two dogs and another cat out once she became aware of the fire, but Prince had jumped from her arms and hid under the couch and wasn't coming out.
Two firefighters were dispatched to try and find Prince Charming and minutes later they emerged with him in a cat carrier.
There were hugs all around, including from Adrian's uncle, Chris

A deputy conducts a field sobriety test following an accident in Bethany.

House fire on Bridge Road, Elba, May 6, 2015

Art on display at Le Roy HS art show.

Spring in Batavia

Jackson Street Standoff May 10, 2015

Memorial Day, Batavia, NY, 2015

Memorial Day, Batavia, NY, 2015

Notre Dame Batavia, NY, Graduation 2015

Buffalo Bills Head Coach Rex Ryan during the long-drive contest at the Jim Kelly tournament at Terry Hills, Batavia

Art on display at Le Roy HS art show.

The Smokin' Eagle BBQ & Brew in Le Roy kicked off a summer series Battle of the Bands on Wednesday night.
For each of the next 10 weeks, 10 bands will compete to move on to the next round. One band each Wednesday is playing from at least 8 to 9 p.m. (the period of judging, the bands may play longer).
The series kicked off with a performance by JP Shaggy, from Syracuse.

Emergency responders during DWI drill at Le Roy HS.

Hiram and Diane Kasten having a good time while ordering food at a booth at St. Joe's Lawn Fete.

Color Me Rad 5K at Darien Lake

St. Joe's Lawn Fete Parade 2015, Batavia, NY

Sunday was a day of sun and smiles for Muriel Austin and her daughters. A Habitat for Humanity home at 2 McKinley Ave., Batavia, is now their home.
"When we actually came and saw the house (when it first became available) and it didn't look anything like this," Austin said. "It looked the way it did before it looked like this and I fell in love with it anyway. 'Oh, my God, I'm going to have a house and it's so big.' I'm not thinking anything beyond that. I just saw that Jessica and other staff members found it in their heart that this would be suitable for you and your girls."
After a brief welcome by Habitat CEO Jessica Maguire-Tomidy, and the gift of a mirror from Lauren Casey, president of the Habitat board, Austin played a recording of a song taken from a verse of the Quran that means "protection."
Austin has five children and four of them live with her (the oldest is an adult). They are LaMonika, Brooklyn, Antoinette and Khadija.
She thanked all the volunteers who helped her with her new home, noting how hard they worked, the expertise and skill many of them brought to the job and the support they offered throughout the process.
"I realized what Habitat is about," Austin said. "It's not about religion. It's not about color. It's not about anything like that. It's about family, community and making a difference, not only making a difference, but also getting people to push in a (better) direction."

Musician in Balboa Park, San Diego

Jackson School Awards

Doug Fancher, of Basom, and his 3-year-old grandson Callum, of Batavia, play shadow baseball under the giant flag at GO ART!'s annual Picnic in the Park in Centennial Park on Saturday.
Fancher said Callum is obsessed with baseball. At the Muckdogs' game the other night, he peppered his grandpa with questions about the game. He loves the Yankees and also thinks the Pirates are pretty cool.

Pat Mruczek looks at a model train he built with his son, Nicholas, who was murdered a few days earlier.

Mercy Flight assists in the search for a missing person. It turned out, the person had accidently gone to the wrong home and fell asleep on the neighborh's couch.

Michael Ermantrout with his prize goat.

Genesee County Fair Thursday Night July 23 2015

Tractor Pull at Genesee County Fair.

Wild Flowers in Alabama

Off-duty city firefighters, including Matt Hendershoot, all members of Local 896, volunteered their time to help work on the Habitat for Humanity house on Oak Street.

Colin Hart, all of 1-and-a-half years old, experienced the Spray Park in Austin Park on this hot day for the first time. He was a little unsure of the whole splashing water thing. He was with mom Jill.

James Pontillo tries to make a point during a hearing of the Town of Stafford ZBA.

Mary Purdy became the first girl to play for Le Roy HS football, making the team as a kicker.

Alex Asselin and Brian Wowk, members of the GCC baseball team, get in some late night practice on Jackson Street, Batavia.

Blue Ribbon Bastards at Mohawk Place, Buffalo, NY, Aug. 22, 2015

Blue Ribbon Bastards at Mohawk Place, Buffalo, NY, Aug. 22, 2015

Blue Ribbon Bastards at Mohawk Place, Buffalo, NY, Aug. 22, 2015

Blue Ribbon Bastards at Mohawk Place, Buffalo, NY, Aug. 22, 2015

Blue Ribbon Bastards at Mohawk Place, Buffalo, NY, Aug. 22, 2015

A woman lost her life after running a stop sign on Ledge Road and getting hit by a semi going southbound on Route 77, Town of Alabama.

Luke Bryan's band at Darien Lake

Fire companies from throughout Western New York were represented in Batavia today for the funeral of William M. Hynes.

A Chevy Bel Air at Pembroke classic car show.

Rocky

Shade Zajac conducts the Genesee Symphony Orchestra during a rehearsal

Mourning Barry Miller

Notre Dame vs. Pembroke Football Sept 26 2015

Robert Hilchey and his 2-year-old grandson Parker.

Frank van Mierlo, CEO of 1366 Technologies, a Boston-based, MIT-bred solar energy company at announcement of new plant at STAMP in Alabama.

Annual half-time pee-wee football game.

Ryan Boyce scores.

Barn in Alabama

Batavia HS Football vs. Midlakes Section V Class B Playoff

Batavia vs. Hornell Section V Playoff 2015

Batavia Blue Devils Class B Section V Championship Game 2015

Members of Genesee County's rope rescue team trained at Indian Falls -- the site of many such real-life rescues over the years -- with a new rope system, called a Vortex.
The $25,000 system (including LED lighting) features a more sophisticated, and more effective and efficient, pulley system, making it easier to keep the ropes clear of obstructions and requiring less exertion of force to raise a patient lifter, making it easier for a medic to accompany the patient up the side of the cliff.
Top photo: Christina Marinaccio and Jamie Call, the first team to descend and ascend with the new system. Marinaccio and Call are both city firefighters and volunteers (with Le Roy and Stafford, respectively).

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About

Howard Owens is a digital media pioneer. He started publishing local news online in 1995 when very few local news outlets had web sites. The header image on the site depicts the film camera he used early in his career and the press pass from his year on the staff of the Carlsbad Journal.